Port Adelaide is working overtime to dissect Adam Simpson’s West Coast masterplan

PORT Adelaide is working overtime to dissect Adam Simpson’s West Coast masterplan as it ponders whether to recall Paddy Ryder on Perth’s rock-hard Optus Stadium.

Tom Rockliff, Paddy Ryder and Jared Polec at Port’s captains run last week. Picture Sarah Reed

PERTH’S rock hard Optus Stadium is complicating Port Adelaide’s desire to recall stars Paddy Ryder, Tom Rockliff and extract revenge against nemesis West Coast.

Ruckman Ryder has been sidelined since round one with an Achilles strain while Rockliff damaged a calf in the round four loss to Essendon.

The unforgiving new surface in Perth has been blamed for Sydney spearhead Lance Franklin's foot injury. Port will leave Ryder to make a comeback call in collusion with medicos but no decision will be made until late this week.

“After round one, talking to some of the Sydney guys, they were very much saying it’s the hardest ground they’ve ever played on,” said Port Adelaide assistant coach Matthew Nicks.

“I think they’re doing some work on softening it up and we have heard reports it’s a little bit better now.”

Port has lost four of five games by under two goals to West Coast including last year’s elimination final in extra time at Adelaide Oval.

Nicks noted Port has worked overtime to dissect an Adam Simpson’s game plan which set up the Eagles with a 5-1 win-loss record and second spot this season.

“We couldn’t research a team any more than we have West Coast,” said Nicks.

“We feel we know them really well, we just have to perform on the game day.’’